Railroad-switch.



W. D. BALDWIN.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1912.

Patented Sept. 3,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor Attorneys COLUMBIA PMNOORAPH 50.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. 1). BALDWIN.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 2, 1912.

1,037,409. Patented Sept. 3,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor Attorneys CDI-UMIIA rummn CO. val-um". D- @1 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. BALDWIN, OF HUMMELSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. BALD- WIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hummelstown, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in railroad switches, the same being an improvement upon the structure shown in applicants Patent No. 997,174, granted to him July 4:, 1911, the present invention contemplating the use of two shields such as set forth in the above mentioned patent, the positioning and operation of the shields being so constructed and arranged, that instead of retaining the said shields above the tread of the rail when in non-shielding position, the same are moved so as to recede or retract below the tread of the rails, a novel form of mechanism being provided which tends to lift the shield as it is moved toward and from shielding position, as will presently appear.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of an ordinary railroad switch equipped with the improvements according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, dotted lines illustrating the position of the two shields at their highest point of movement and before as suming the position as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the shields moved in the opposite position to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the shields showing the flexible operating mechanism connected between two shields.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the two main track rails,'3 and 4 the siding rails and 5 and 6 the switch points. These features are of the ordinary structure, the said switch points being connected by means of the rods 7 so that one side is moved into engagement with its rail while the other side is moved out of engagement with its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 2, 1912.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912. Serial No. 681,123.

rail, all of which is of the ordinary construction.

- In order to properly shield the space between the respective switch points and main rails and thus prevent the accumulation of snow or any foreign matter that may tend to prevent the efiective operation of the switch points, two shields 8 and 9 are properly disposed so that one is projected above the switch point and the space therebetween when such switch point is open, the other being depressed or retracted away from the switch point and rail down below the upper surface or tread of the respective rails. In order to produce these results and alternate operation of the respective shields 8 and 9, each shield is provided with the connecting sleeves 10 to which are connected the upper ends of the respective arms 11 and lever 12, both of the arms and the lever being connected to the rock shaft 13, whose terminals are journaled within the brackets or lugs 14 connected to the ties 15 between the switch points.

In order to rock the shaft 13 and consequently move the respective shields 8 and 9 toward and from the respective switch points, the lower end 16 of the lever 12 is connected to a link 17 which by means of the pin 18 is pivotally connected to a block 19, said block 19 being adjustably mounted upon the threaded portion 20 of the rod 21. The rod 21 is passed through a frame 22 which is connected to the forward switchpoint operating rod 7 and has mounted thereon the spiral spring 23 between the cone-shaped sleeves 24 which are adapted to project through the respective openings 25 of the frame 22. The other end of the rod 21 is connected to the switch point actuating bell crank lever 26 which isoperated by any well "known means such as a rod 27. By this construction and arrangement of parts it is evident that the movement of the bell crank lever, presuming the parts to be in the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1, will pull upon the rod 21 and simultaneously move the block 19, which in turn will pull upon the link 17 of the shield 8 and push upon the link 17 of the shield 9, thus'moving the respective shields from the position as shown in Fig. 2 to the position as shown in Fig. 3. During this movement the respective sleeves 24 are moved within the frame 22 causing the spring 21 to be compressed slightly between said sleeves and finally acting as a stationary abutting means whereby the frame 22 is moved to throw the switch points from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position as shown in Fig. 3, thus permitting the shield 9 to be disengaged from above its switch point before its switch point is thrown into contact with the main rail, and permitting the switch point of the shield 8 to be disengaged from the main rail before the free end of the shield 8 is disposed between the main rail and its switch point. By this means there is no interference in the operation of the switch point and the shields, a snapping spring action being imparted, at the final movement of the switch points into the desired position, is attained.

In order to impart the desired movement to the respective shields 8 and 9 as they are moved to and from shielding position, and cause the same to assume the dotted line position as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the intermediate arm 11 of the respective shields has connected to it or at its point of connection to the shield, a link 28, whose free end is connected to the hook terminal 29 of the arm 30, said arm 30 having its lower hooked terminal 31 pivoted to the lugs 32 connected to the ties, as clearly shown in Fig. l, the connection being slightly out of line with the journaling lugs 14 of the respective shields. By this means the link or plate 28, due to the connection with the arm 30, will as the shield is moved from nonshielding to shielding position, be slightly raised andretained substantially in parallel with the ties or tread of the rail, will be moved upwardly above the tread of the rail and finally toward and downwardly upon the tread of the rail, the hooked terminals of the respective shields assuming the position as shown at the right in Fig. 2 or at the left in Fig. 8, and thus prevent the ad mission of any foreign substances, such as snow and ice between the rail and switch point adjacent thereto.

By the construction of a shielding device as herein set forth, it is evident that the shields 8 and 9 are moved simultaneously, or substantially so, with the operation of the switch points and that the same are controlled by the same operating mechanism; and that the shield will at no time project such a distance above the tread of the rails as to interfere with traffic, and when out of use and in non-shielding position will at all times rest below the tread of the rails and between the respective rails and switch points of the system.

The contours or lines of the respective shields are so constructed as to conform to the angle of the respective switch points, siding rails or main rails, and both of said shields are so constructed as to be readily placed in position at the respective switches and operably connected to the switch operating mechanism without the necessity of any great change in equipment, otherwise than the addition of the complete shield and its operating mechanism.

By reason of the adjustable block 19 upon the threaded portions 20 of the rod 21, the throw of the respective shields may be regulated to a nicet-y, and further by reason of the peculiar construction of the frame 21 spring 23 and sleeves 24, the operation of the switch points with relation to the shield is properly timed to prevent any interference of the one with the other.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a rail and switch point, of a substantially fiat shield normally located away from the switch point and be low the tread of the rail, and means for moving said shield over the space bet-ween the switch point and rail when the switch is in open position, said shield when in either position having the body portion thereof in a substantially horizontal plane.

2. The combination with a rail and switch point, of a substantially flat guard normally located away from the switch point, automatic means for moving said guard over the space between the switch point and the rail when the switch is open, and means for maintaining the guard with the body thereof in a substantially horizontal plane when in either extreme position.

3. The combination with a rail and switch point, of a substantially flat shield normally located away from and below the tread of the switch point and rail, means for moving said shield above the space between the switch point when the switch is open, and means for insuring the positioning of the body of the shield in a horizontal plane when said shield is in either extreme position.

4. The combination with a switch point and rail, means for operating said switch point, a shield for the space between the switch point and rail and movable to and from the rail, a rock shaft operably connected to said shield and also to the switch point operating mechanism, and means connected to said shield for retaining the body thereof in a horizontal plane when the shield is in either extreme position.

5. The combination with main and siding rails, and a pair of switch points connected with each other, a frame carried by one of the connections of the switch point, a rod slidably mounted through said frame and projecting beyond the respective ends thereof, two sleeves slidably mounted upon the rod within the frame, a spring interposed upon the rod betweensaid sleeves, a pair of shields operably connected to said rod upon each side of the frame, one of said shields being normally in open position and the other being normally in closed position, the

shield in closed position being arranged to close the space. between the open switch point and the rail while the other shield is between the rails and below the tread thereof.

6. The combination with main and siding rails, and a pair of switch point-s connected with each other, a frame carried by one of the connections of the switch point, a rod slidably mounted through the said frame and projecting beyond the respective ends thereof, two sleeves slidably mounted upon the rod within the frame, a spring interposed upon the rod bet-ween the sleeves, a pair of shields operably connected to said rod upon each side of-the frame, one of said shields being normally in open posit-ion and the other being normally in closed position, the shield in closed position being arranged to close the space between the open switch point and the rail while the other shield is between the rails and below the tread thereof, and means connected to each shield for maintaining the body of the shield in a horizontal plane when the shield is in either extreme position.

7. The combination with a railroad'switch having a pair of switch points, of a pair of shields, one of said shields being arranged adjacent each of the switch points, and means for adjustably and operably connecting said shields to the switch points, where by when either switch point is moved to open position, the shield adjacent thereto will be moved into position to close the space between said switch point and the adjacent rail.

8. The combination with a railroad switch having a pair of switch points, of a pair of shields, one of said shields being arranged adjacent each of the switch points, and means for adjustably and operably connecting said shields to the switch points, whereby when either switch point is moved to open position, the shield adjacent thereto will be moved into position to close the space between said switch point and the adjacent rail, and means for maintaining the body portion of the shield in a substantially horizontal plane when the shield is in either extreme position.

9. The combination with main and siding rails, a pair of switch points, two rods operably connecting said switch-points together, of a frame connected to one of said rods, a rod projecting through said frame, a pair of sleeves slidably mounted upon said rod between the frame for engagement to move the frame and switch points, a spring mounted upon the rod within the frame and between the sleeves, means for operating the rod and frame to actuate the switch points, and a pair of switch point shields operably con nected to said last rod beyond said sleeves, each shield having a movement imparted opposite to its respective switch point.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM D. BALDWIN.

ALFRED LANDIS, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

